THE MUSEUM. 



107 



of its self. Tins is done (Jiirinp; the 

 embryos consumption of the placental 

 yolk, and also especially and more 

 rapidly, after that source of food is all 

 exhausted. 0{ course, upon receivinjj 

 the ova, the pouch might be supposed 

 to be considerably extended. This 

 distension is really very trifling. And 

 during the development, the enlarging 

 of the sack might be e.xpected: but it 

 is inappreciable. At the time of re- 

 ceiving the spawn the wall of the 

 pouch is less than three lines thick, 

 and well stored internally with fat. 

 At the time of e.xpulsion of developed 

 fr\' this sack is not half a line thick 

 and hangs flaccid on the animal, a 

 mere thin membrane. In due lime 

 it becomes again thick, tirm and fat as 

 before, and in such a state has been 

 mistaken by me for a gravid condition. 

 This interesting fact of a true marsup- 

 ial nourishment, and of so uni(|ue a 

 character, although suspected, was 

 not accepted, until established by dis- 

 section, and observation of a male 

 that had gone through the course de- 

 scribed. Moreover, I believe in part 

 may be thus explained the impulse to 

 that forcible eviction of the immature 

 young, which has been already de- 

 scribed. The debility caused by the 

 consumption of the parent, together 

 with the weakening of acclimation, 

 seems to have impelled the act. 



But with the exclusion of the young, 

 the marsupial likeness stops in the 

 •Sea Horse, although the young pipe- 

 fiihe; are said to re-enter the pouch 

 on finding themselves in danger. It 

 is my belief that with the Sea Horse 

 the termination of developments is the 

 end of their solicitude for the young. 



The Sea Horse, when taken fresh 

 from its native home, though almost 

 laughably grotesque is a very pretty 

 creature. Its general color, is ashen 

 gray; at first glance, an exceedingly 

 sober suit. But if examined more 

 closely, it will be found thickly stud- 

 ded with tiny spangles of metallic sil- 

 ver. Add to this its rich armiture of 

 uaintly carved tail plated, like a coat 



of mail, its body almost perfectly 

 erect, and bent forward, it looks like 

 the steed of a knight-errant in quest 

 of adventure^ and those pretty, golden, 

 yet (jueer little eyes, chameleon like, 

 independent of each other, mtently 

 ga^e two ways at once. Then as to 

 that dorsal fin, in oddity and beauty it 

 has no competer among its ichthyic 

 rivals, so tastily fringed with a neat 

 border of delicate yellow, precisely 

 like the yellow tipping of the tail of 

 the Cedar-bird. In truth, this dorsal 

 lin is cruelly libeled in every engraving 

 we have seen. It nature it is an ex- 

 (jui^ite fan, in form, size and orna- 

 ment, worthy the hand of Oueen Mab. 

 In fine, as we look at his equine ap- 

 pearance, and think of his monkey 

 faculty, and his oppossum traits, and 

 queer blending of innocent oddity 

 with patriarchal dignity, we have to 

 accept the old fisherman's proverb, 

 ' There is nothing on the land that is 

 not in the sea." 



MINERALS! 



We have the following iinaeiiils we will sell 

 by the poiiml. Orders go best by freight. 

 Prices are net. 



PKK I.H 



Uiotile, CaDaila $ 10 



Calfite in Crystals, Colo 10 



Cannel Coal, Ky 05 



Cffalcopyrite. Colo 05 



Chali'ettony, Fla 10 



Copper, Native Lake Superior 25 



Co<|uinia, Fla 0,% 



Dolomite, N. Y 05 



(Jalena. Colo 05 



Garnets ill Hock, N. H 05 



(ioUl Ore, So. Dak 05 



Gypsum. Mich 05 



Saliu Spar, Edj» 15 



Hcniaiite, N. Y 04 



Induralcil Clay, Mo 05 



Limonite, Me 05 



Mrigneiite, Ark.. , 05 



Mica, Curved, Mass 05 



Ony.x, massive, Mex 05 



" sawed in slabs, Mex 10 



Otlhoclase. Mass 05 



Pelriliod Wood, Mont 10 



Pyritc", Colo 05 



Pori'elainitc. Mont 05 



PyroluhitP. N. S 05 



Qiiariz .Milky. Colo 05 



Tourmaline, Me 05. 



All can-fully laholled and packed. 



W. F. WEBB, Mgr., Albion, N. Y. 



